This invention relates to apparatus for displaying data and, more particularly, to such apparatus for displaying the status of individual messages which are dictated in a central dictation system and for displaying additional information associated with selected parameters of such messages.
Central dictation systems are known wherein a number of dictation recorders are provided, each recorder being connectable to one or more dictate stations such that the users at such dictate stations can dictate messages onto the recorder. One example of such a central dictation system includes a recorder of the so-called endless loop type wherein the recording medium comprises an endless loop of magnetic tape. With this type of recorder, separate dictate and transcribe locations are provided in the endless loop recorder so that, while a user dictates a message onto the endless tape loop, a previously recorded message thereon can be transcribed by a transcriptionist at a transcribe station, the latter being operably connected to the transcribe location of the endless loop recorder. One example of a dictation system incorporating such an endless loop recorder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,644, issued Oct. 5, 1976, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Another type of recorder which is used in a central dictation system is adapted to record dictated messages onto individual recording media, such as magnetic tape housed in tape cassettes. One example of this type of recorder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,209, issued July 4, 1978, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. As disclosed therein, this recorder is provided with a supply of fresh tape cassettes and with a recording mechanism, such as a record/playback deck. A fresh cassette is transported from the supply to the record/playback deck and, concurrently, a used cassette upon which the dictated messages have been recorded is ejected from the record/playback deck and transported to an output store. In the event that a so-called "priority" message is recorded on a fresh cassette, the recorder also includes a priority exit chute whereby, when this priority cassette is ejected from the record/playback deck, it exits from the recorder through the priority exit chute so as to be transcribed promptly. Although dictation and transcription cannot be performed concurrently on the same tape cassette, since conventional cassettes are used, a typical cassette desk-top dictate/transcribe machine can be used to transcribe the dictated message. Hence, if a number of transcriptionists are employed, dictated messages can be transcribed rapidly, and the users of the recorder can be provided with "hard copy" of their dictated messages promptly.
Heretofore, in a central dictation system which is provided with a plurality of recorders, whether of the endless loop type or of the aforementioned cassette-changer type, the status and whereabouts of the dictated messages are not monitored. Consequently, if the originator, or author, of a message has not received a transcribed copy thereof, after a matter of hours, days, or weeks, it may be difficult, if not impossible, to determine why his message has not been transcribed or to ascertain the present location of his dictated message in the central dictation system. Accordingly, there has been a need to provide apparatus for monitoring the whereabouts and status of each message in the central dictation system from the time that the message first is being dictated until the time that the dictated message has been fully transcribed. Also, a suitable display, such as the display screen of a cathode ray tube, is desirable in order to provide supervisory personnel with an overall display of the status of different messages; and to provide that display with the capability of being operated so that all messages of a particular type or having a particular common parameter can be displayed and, thus, located in the central dictation system.
One type of apparatus for monitoring and displaying the status of different dictated messages which has been proposed is adapted to operate with tape cassettes, wherein particular parameters, such as the identity of the particular recorder upon which the messages have been dictated, the identity of the author of such messages and the identity of the cassette, are recorded on the tape within the cassette and read by the monitoring and display apparatus. This apparatus is not a so-called on-line system wherein information is supplied to it while such information is generated. Rather, information is supplied to the apparatus only after all messages have been recorded on a cassette. Information regarding messages which are in the process of being dictated is not displayed. Also, since information is supplied to the apparatus by direct-reading of such information from the cassette tape at, for example, a read station of the apparatus, status information is displayed in the order at which the cassettes are read. This may result in a confusing order of displayed information. Also, the displayed information is not segregated in accordance with different statuses of that information. Rather, to be apprised of the information concerning messages of predetermined status, it is necessary for supervisory personnel to scan displayed information until the information having desired status is obtained.